Yes, it’s still a few months away, but if you're an artist or art dealer, I truly believe that the month of SEPTEMBER is your BEST shot at selling art during the Christmas shopping season.

Why? How?

Well ... as you know, immediately after Labor Day, people get back into the swing of their routine lives. Summer is over and the holiday season hasn't yet begun. However, it’s imminent.

We need to use the month of SEPTEMBER to put ART "into people's heads" and "on their mental radar." September is the time to get people thinking about MAYBE giving art as Christmas gifts. This is Psychology 101.

Your marketing efforts need to begin the day after Labor Day and SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE the major retailers begin their Christmas push in October. If you begin in October, it's TOO LATE and you've lost the battle. In other words, by the time you see Halloween merchandise on store shelves, forget it.

Not many people are going to choose buying your art over an iPad or a new car or whatever as a holiday gift for someone. Again, Psychology 101.

Artists, if you're interested in actually selling your work online, you need to make sure your sites are user-friendly to everyday people, let them know which works are available for sale and include prices. And please, re-write those horridly convoluted Artist Statements.

I’m doing my part in September by focusing on ART COLLECTING for the rest of the year. I’ll be giving it the HARD, relentless, marketing and promotional push in various venues.

You can do this too. Do it A LOT. Take advantage of the fact that social media is still free of charge. That's changing even as we speak. Hurry!